Raise the Hammer

Comment 70198

I must admit a certain mixed reaction of horror and glee when I read many of the comments above. Especially the slightly profane text messages. As a long-term transit supporter it's not always easy to read, but as someone who's used the HSR, it's pretty f-ing necessary. I really hope some city or HSR staff are reading these as well, because this is exactly the kind of feedback they need. These aren't just minor comments which can afford to wait until some future "public consultation date", they're stranding people who are late for classes, exams, jobs, appointments and other time-sensitive trips. This doesn't have to happen many times before people start looking for another mode of transportation.

The HSR is a vast single-tier system. Even if we don't manage LRT, we've grown far beyond the point where this just doesn't work anymore. It's time to decide if bus routes are going to be cross-town arteries or neighbourhood feeders. It makes absolutely no sense to wait an extra 20 minutes at McMaster because this #5 bus doesn't go to the right part of Deleware. Nor does it make sense to have five or so separate, slightly different Main/King routes which run on uncoordinated schedules (often all five at once every 20 mins, rather than one every four). Cities which have successful transit systems work because you KNOW the bus/subway/streetcar/skytrain/boat will be along in 10 minutes or less, and there'll be at most one short connection for most destinations. We just don't have this, but we certainly have enough busses to try.

"Today, the notion of progress in a single line without goal or limit seems perhaps the most parochial notion of a very parochial century."
— Lewis Mumford